What do you think?
Reasons My Kid is Crying
A glimpse into the tribulations of parenting that is part documentary, part therapy, and completely hilarious.
It all started when busy father Greg Pembroke posted a few pictures online of his three-year-old son, mid-tantrum, alongside the reason his son was crying: He had broken his bit of cheese in half. In "Reasons My Kid is Crying, "Greg collects together photos sent from parents around the world, documenting the many, completely logical reasons why small children cry. Among them: "I let him play on the grass" . . . "He ran out of toys to throw into his pool" . . . "The neighbor's dog isn't outside." The result is both an affectionate portrait of the universal, baffling logic of toddlers--and a reminder for burned-out parents everywhere that they are not alone.
It all started when busy father Greg Pembroke posted a few pictures online of his three-year-old son, mid-tantrum, alongside the reason his son was crying: He had broken his bit of cheese in half. In "Reasons My Kid is Crying, "Greg collects together photos sent from parents around the world, documenting the many, completely logical reasons why small children cry. Among them: "I let him play on the grass" . . . "He ran out of toys to throw into his pool" . . . "The neighbor's dog isn't outside." The result is both an affectionate portrait of the universal, baffling logic of toddlers--and a reminder for burned-out parents everywhere that they are not alone.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published April 2, 2013
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
June 5, 2014
another blog-turned-book i am just hearing about now. late to the party, getting the joke too late... but this shit is hilarious, so i don't mind being all alone.
http://www.reasonsmysoniscrying.com/
now, some of you, knowing me, may look at this book and think, "oh, karen likes it because it is a book full of crying babies and their distress gives her pleasure." untrue! while i may not like kids overmuch, i am not a monster!! and there is a certain measure of uncomfortable recognition in these particular distresses. i find myself able to relate to some of these kids. because these are perfectly valid reasons for crying:
i hate when there are no more presents.
smart kid. mind the goats. they never have good intentions.
been there. zoos are a complete tease.
and these kids pretty much mirror my feelings towards the beach:
also familiar:
and while i haven't faced these particular problems, i can completely understand how frustrating it must be:
and these are all things i have personally complained about on various aifafs, in one way or another:
and the number one reason for crying:
that kid is pissed, as well he should be. you throw him in a pen and give him a stack of books roughly 20 words each and think that will be sufficient?
but don't start calling me "mommy" just yet, because many of these kids are still bafflingly opaque:
who doesn't want to be the pink unicorn?? kid, there's gonna come a time when you would kill to be able to wear that outfit again.
and who doesn't want to meet bill murray??
and here's just a bunch of assorted giggles, which make me appreciate the fact that my cat's bad behavior is not nearly as maddening as a tiny human's would be, although it is regrettably less comical:
this book cracked me up like crazy, and i have created my own submission:
this is me, sad that i finished the new tana french book and now i have no more tana french books.
i am a big fat baby
come to my blog!
http://www.reasonsmysoniscrying.com/
now, some of you, knowing me, may look at this book and think, "oh, karen likes it because it is a book full of crying babies and their distress gives her pleasure." untrue! while i may not like kids overmuch, i am not a monster!! and there is a certain measure of uncomfortable recognition in these particular distresses. i find myself able to relate to some of these kids. because these are perfectly valid reasons for crying:
i hate when there are no more presents.
smart kid. mind the goats. they never have good intentions.
been there. zoos are a complete tease.
and these kids pretty much mirror my feelings towards the beach:
also familiar:
and while i haven't faced these particular problems, i can completely understand how frustrating it must be:
and these are all things i have personally complained about on various aifafs, in one way or another:
and the number one reason for crying:
that kid is pissed, as well he should be. you throw him in a pen and give him a stack of books roughly 20 words each and think that will be sufficient?
but don't start calling me "mommy" just yet, because many of these kids are still bafflingly opaque:
who doesn't want to be the pink unicorn?? kid, there's gonna come a time when you would kill to be able to wear that outfit again.
and who doesn't want to meet bill murray??
and here's just a bunch of assorted giggles, which make me appreciate the fact that my cat's bad behavior is not nearly as maddening as a tiny human's would be, although it is regrettably less comical:
this book cracked me up like crazy, and i have created my own submission:
this is me, sad that i finished the new tana french book and now i have no more tana french books.
i am a big fat baby
come to my blog!
September 24, 2015
Makes me laugh hysterically and I don't even have kids.
May 5, 2014
If you need a good laugh and have about 20 minutes to spare, this is the book for you. I had to stop reading it at a restaurant because sitting alone and laughing uproariously is not a good look for me.
July 10, 2014
After 16 years of motherhood, all I can think about it how awesome this book would have been for me to read as a single mom raising my son. Of course I would have submitted pics! What's the point in having kids if you can't laugh at them once in a while. Who am I kidding? You can make fun of them all you want!
This is truly a hysterical book comprising some of the best moments of why children cry. Pick it up and give it a go. You can thank me later.
This is truly a hysterical book comprising some of the best moments of why children cry. Pick it up and give it a go. You can thank me later.
May 23, 2016
Such anguish because there are no more presents to open. Such despair because the dad won't let the kid eat garbage out of the garbage bin. I often forget how overwhelming little kids' feelings often are.
April 4, 2014
If you have a toddler, this puts all those ridiculous tantrums into perspective. when you get right down to it, they're hilarious. My kid threw a 15 minute screaming crying tantrum cause I wouldn't let him put the tweezers in the toaster. Just yesterday we had a melt down cause he couldn't take the "future customer" shopping cart home from Kroger. its something everyday but if you find the humor in it, its not nearly as taxing. this book is an amazing description of how... really... we're at the mercy of these tiny humans who are discovering the world around them... and a lot of tears along the way.
April 1, 2014
I love the Tumblr, I love the Twitter feed. The only disadvantage of the book is that it ends. Greg Pembroke has a lot of talent and I hope to see more in the future.
February 25, 2015
Humorous and very relatable. Makes you feel better knowing you aren't the only one...
April 6, 2019
The best part of this book was pointing out to my son all the things in the book that he too has cried over.
August 2, 2019
Very funny 😂👍
January 12, 2019
Gifted to me by a friend and absolutely counting this toward my reading goal for the year because it's sat on my shelf for literal months without me flicking through it.
It was funny, a great way to spend 20 minutes, and definitely made me (as a parent) feel way less alone. I'll be looking forward to pulling this out and sharing with all the grandparents soon, as well as my childless friends at our rare board game nights, haha!
It was funny, a great way to spend 20 minutes, and definitely made me (as a parent) feel way less alone. I'll be looking forward to pulling this out and sharing with all the grandparents soon, as well as my childless friends at our rare board game nights, haha!
May 25, 2016
Grabbed this book on my way out of the library to have lunch. I giggled all through lunch looking at picture after picture of children having meltdowns, along with the captions providing the reasons for the melt downs.
The best, by far, is on page 183.
The best, by far, is on page 183.
April 3, 2014
Ben is on page 64 :)
November 15, 2014
Ha, I could have contributed to this book tonight.
April 28, 2018
Hilarious! Just as fun as the website :)
June 25, 2019
It’s a funny concept but I feel I’ve seen all these alreadybon the Internet. That said, I lol’d for real a couple of times.
March 1, 2021
I don't have kids, but I just love this shit. Can't get enough of it. They're so adorably tyrannical and so heartbroken over the smallest things. They know how the world should be and are just DEVASTATED when the world doesn't agree. Maybe it's funnier if you don't have to deal with it IRL.
I also love it because, let's be real, it's so relatable. Haven't we all felt like crying when he grocery store doesn't have our favorite ice cream or when we put on an outfit that looked so much better on the rack? These little kiddos just go ahead and let it all out. It's a reminder that even things that seem super important in the moment are ultimately not a big deal.
Also, it's just inherently funny when a kid tries to eat dog poop or whatever 😅
I also love it because, let's be real, it's so relatable. Haven't we all felt like crying when he grocery store doesn't have our favorite ice cream or when we put on an outfit that looked so much better on the rack? These little kiddos just go ahead and let it all out. It's a reminder that even things that seem super important in the moment are ultimately not a big deal.
Also, it's just inherently funny when a kid tries to eat dog poop or whatever 😅
June 25, 2014
When I received Reasons My Kid Is Crying by Greg Pembroke, I knew I was in for a great read. And I was right. For much of the book, I was in tears prompted by laughter!
The book is based on Tumblr sensation, Reasons My Son Is Crying, which the author started after a career change which meant he would be a stay-at-home-dad two days out of the week. At the time, he and his wife had two boys under the age of two. As he writes in the introduction, "I knew things would get crazy, but no one could have predicted how crazy they would get."
The Tumblr blog and, now, the book is essentially a collection of photos of children in mid-tantrum. Tears run down red and chubby cheeks and short, descriptive captions tell the reader just what, exactly, prompted the child's meltdown. Some of my favorites include:
"The remote-controlled car he was driving drove away."
"Buzz Lighyear's knee is bent."
"The sand made his feet sandy."
"Her brother sat down."
Oh, who am I kidding? They're all my favorites!
I'm not a parent, but I have spent my fair share of time with and around children, often babysitting when I was younger. I know firsthand how these tantrums erupt over the smallest of things . . . and how difficult it can be to not stand and laugh at the crying child.
Reasons My Kid Is Crying features photos and captions from not only the author, but from dozens of contributors to the Tumblr blog from the world over. It's a quick read, but one that's perfect to have on hand for those days when you really need a good belly laugh!
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.
The book is based on Tumblr sensation, Reasons My Son Is Crying, which the author started after a career change which meant he would be a stay-at-home-dad two days out of the week. At the time, he and his wife had two boys under the age of two. As he writes in the introduction, "I knew things would get crazy, but no one could have predicted how crazy they would get."
The Tumblr blog and, now, the book is essentially a collection of photos of children in mid-tantrum. Tears run down red and chubby cheeks and short, descriptive captions tell the reader just what, exactly, prompted the child's meltdown. Some of my favorites include:
"The remote-controlled car he was driving drove away."
"Buzz Lighyear's knee is bent."
"The sand made his feet sandy."
"Her brother sat down."
Oh, who am I kidding? They're all my favorites!
I'm not a parent, but I have spent my fair share of time with and around children, often babysitting when I was younger. I know firsthand how these tantrums erupt over the smallest of things . . . and how difficult it can be to not stand and laugh at the crying child.
Reasons My Kid Is Crying features photos and captions from not only the author, but from dozens of contributors to the Tumblr blog from the world over. It's a quick read, but one that's perfect to have on hand for those days when you really need a good belly laugh!
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.
July 10, 2014
Author Bio via the publisher: Greg Pembroke is the father of two sons (and the husband of one wife) from Rochester, NY. He works part time as radio advertising copywriter three days per week and stays home with his young sons two days per week.
This book is absolutely hilarious, more so if you are a parent or around small children a lot! It is a glimpse into the life of a parent or caregiver. Children are brand new to this planet and they are unfamiliar with it's ways and customs. They don't quite understand our speech and we definitely don't understand their logic. This book is a testament to all of those things.
I personally loved this book. My son is past this age, his tantrums are generally rooted in reason now but that didn't lessen my enjoyment of it. I was reminded of the days when a broken piece of cheese, a refusal to let him explore something dangerous or allowing him to dress himself could result in a sobbing fit on his part and complete disbelief on mine. I also found that along with all of the hilarity of this book it is a reminder to me as a person that everyone has their own perspective. Even between adults a comment or action can be interpreted differently by everyone involved. It is a small reminder to take a moment and think about the people around me each day and remember that everyone has their own thoughts, troubles and joys that I may not even know about.
I received this book free from blogging for books in exchange for an honest review.
This book is absolutely hilarious, more so if you are a parent or around small children a lot! It is a glimpse into the life of a parent or caregiver. Children are brand new to this planet and they are unfamiliar with it's ways and customs. They don't quite understand our speech and we definitely don't understand their logic. This book is a testament to all of those things.
I personally loved this book. My son is past this age, his tantrums are generally rooted in reason now but that didn't lessen my enjoyment of it. I was reminded of the days when a broken piece of cheese, a refusal to let him explore something dangerous or allowing him to dress himself could result in a sobbing fit on his part and complete disbelief on mine. I also found that along with all of the hilarity of this book it is a reminder to me as a person that everyone has their own perspective. Even between adults a comment or action can be interpreted differently by everyone involved. It is a small reminder to take a moment and think about the people around me each day and remember that everyone has their own thoughts, troubles and joys that I may not even know about.
I received this book free from blogging for books in exchange for an honest review.
July 12, 2014
In this hilarious book, the author shares pictures and quotes from parents capturing their own children having epic meltdowns over the most bizarre reasons.
As a parent, there is no way to deny that all of my kids have had a memorable moment or two that left me shaking my head in wonder - why is my child crying? Why is he so hysterical that his shoe is untied? Why did he just throw himself onto the floor because I used the red cup for his juice and not the yellow? And one of the best - he's crying because I wouldn't let him drink water out of the toilet!
All of the pictures and subtitles in the book are just that - moments our toddlers have had either do to their own reasoning or just common sense that these little babies haven't acquired yet.
The author, Greg Penbroke, originally started this trend when he started to share his own kid's breakdowns on his tumblr/blog. He then started to include pictures of other children from around the world when their parents started sharing pictures that they have captured as well. It has since become a well-known trend among families and friends to share these adorable yet questioning things that causes these little ones to have the most bizarre reactions.
Definitely a laugh-out-loud book to share with other family members over and over again.
I received a paperback from "Blogging for Books" for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
As a parent, there is no way to deny that all of my kids have had a memorable moment or two that left me shaking my head in wonder - why is my child crying? Why is he so hysterical that his shoe is untied? Why did he just throw himself onto the floor because I used the red cup for his juice and not the yellow? And one of the best - he's crying because I wouldn't let him drink water out of the toilet!
All of the pictures and subtitles in the book are just that - moments our toddlers have had either do to their own reasoning or just common sense that these little babies haven't acquired yet.
The author, Greg Penbroke, originally started this trend when he started to share his own kid's breakdowns on his tumblr/blog. He then started to include pictures of other children from around the world when their parents started sharing pictures that they have captured as well. It has since become a well-known trend among families and friends to share these adorable yet questioning things that causes these little ones to have the most bizarre reactions.
Definitely a laugh-out-loud book to share with other family members over and over again.
I received a paperback from "Blogging for Books" for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
June 17, 2014
Are you familiar with the blog http://www.reasonsmysoniscrying.com/? If so, this is a small glimpse at the blog in book form! If you are not familiar with the blog, please go and take a look!
In the book, Pembroke shares snippets of why some crying episodes happen and working with little ones, I do agree. They're new to the world around them and they cannot always comprehend what's happening or why things happen. Sometimes it can be heartbreaking, but other times hilarious! As adults, we've experienced so much that these moments can frustrate and tickle the funny bones as well. Parents, family members, and professionals who work with children can easily relate to Reasons My Kid is Crying.
This is such a great book to read ... and share! The paperback is full color with a good mix between photographs and a pages of "Dispatches from the Front Lines." The dispatches are typed tales of various toddler moments. Pembroke does divide his book into chapters which cover everyday moments, family get-togethers, and out in public. The size of the book can easily fit into a purse or diaper bag to enjoy a quick read or to share with someone else. It's definitely a book I want others to read and enjoy. Thank you, Greg Pembroke for sharing a laugh with the world!
I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.
In the book, Pembroke shares snippets of why some crying episodes happen and working with little ones, I do agree. They're new to the world around them and they cannot always comprehend what's happening or why things happen. Sometimes it can be heartbreaking, but other times hilarious! As adults, we've experienced so much that these moments can frustrate and tickle the funny bones as well. Parents, family members, and professionals who work with children can easily relate to Reasons My Kid is Crying.
This is such a great book to read ... and share! The paperback is full color with a good mix between photographs and a pages of "Dispatches from the Front Lines." The dispatches are typed tales of various toddler moments. Pembroke does divide his book into chapters which cover everyday moments, family get-togethers, and out in public. The size of the book can easily fit into a purse or diaper bag to enjoy a quick read or to share with someone else. It's definitely a book I want others to read and enjoy. Thank you, Greg Pembroke for sharing a laugh with the world!
I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.
August 13, 2018
A great collection of pictures, captions and wisdom detailing the multitude of situations that result in toddler tears. My favorite quote:
Kids know exactly how they want their world to work. They have a precise course of action—a battle plan they follow to the letter as their day unfolds. Tragically, they’re utterly unable or unwilling to explain this game plan to their parents. Even the smallest of deviations from their top-secret to-do list is unacceptable. One wrong move, and you’ll unwittingly unleash some of the most unexpected, unpredictable, and unreasonable face-down-on-the-ground flare-ups you have ever seen.
Kids know exactly how they want their world to work. They have a precise course of action—a battle plan they follow to the letter as their day unfolds. Tragically, they’re utterly unable or unwilling to explain this game plan to their parents. Even the smallest of deviations from their top-secret to-do list is unacceptable. One wrong move, and you’ll unwittingly unleash some of the most unexpected, unpredictable, and unreasonable face-down-on-the-ground flare-ups you have ever seen.
July 9, 2017
Yes, most of these photos of children wailing, with their captions of the ridiculous reason why, are on the website. Still hilarious. Especially since my four-year-old sobbed himself to sleep tonight because his pajamas had the wrong kind of tag on the side. (Not that he doesn't want the tag. I could cut out the tag. He demands a specific kind of tag, down to fabric type and placement, which exists on maybe a quarter of his shirts at most. We're out.)
July 22, 2014
My daughter's biggest flip outs came because one day during bath time, there was soap scum floating in the water. The other was because there were stars in the sky. So I could really relate to this book. I'm not sure which was funnier-the expressions on the kid's faces, or the reasons why they were crying. I laughed often and shared it with the rest of the family.
July 31, 2018
Absolutely hysterical. Pembroke compiles pictures from parents documenting the ridiculous reasons their child is crying. From not allowing their kid to eat a diaper, to telling them they can't throw dad's glasses off the top of the light house, you are sure to empathize with these parents page after page. Kids are so gosh darn funny.
April 2, 2014
I'm biased, because my kid is in the book, but this is such a universal idea that I think any parent who ever raised a toddler will read this and say "YUP" to every picture. Toddlers are the truest drama queens and kings, but they are just so cute, even when pitched onto the floor in tears.
August 26, 2014
This was like a blog/ebook. Thought of my kids doing the same exact thing for the same exact reason quite a few times. If I'd only taken a picture of my son crying because I wouldn't let him paint my walls with his poop...but then I would have gotten my camera poopy.
December 29, 2014
OK, please don't mistake my four stars as an indication that this is great literature. However, if you're looking for the kind of chuckle that stems from an understanding of pain and frustration, you're going to love this book.
May 22, 2017
Not nearly as funny as I'd imagined. The observations either felt staged or were over-thought. Ah well. It's just good to know that bub, as a toddler, will be crying because the world is inexplicable, and I shouldn't take it to heart.
January 1, 2014
Laugh-out-loud funny. Makes me want to start a scrapbook of my son's irrational crying pics for posterity.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews